Convertible washing-machine and canner.



J. S. WILLIAMS.

CONVERTIBLE WASHING MACHINE AND GANNER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 1. ms.

1 209,09 Patented Dec. 19,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J. S. WILLIAMS.

CONVERTIBLE WASHING MACHINE AND CANNER.

APPLICATIONHLED SEPT. l.-l9l6.

1 ,209,094. Patented Dec. 19, 1916.

2 SHEE1TSSHEET 2.

Emmi;

J5.WZliams,

J'OHN'SCOTT WILLIAMS, OF COOPER, TEXAS.

CONVERTIBLE WASHING-MACHINE AND CANNER.

Specification of Letters Patent. 7 Patented Dec, 19, 1916.

Application filed September 1, 1916. Serial No. 118,112.

Fig. 2 so that the bottom of the boiler will v To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN Soorr WIL- LIAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cooper, in the county of Delta and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Convertible W ashing-Machines and Canners; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a convertible washing machine and canner.-

The object of the invention isto provide a simple and eificient apparatus of this character which is readily convertible from a washing machine to a canning machine and vice versa, and which is constructed so as to be easily operated and to effect a great economy in time and in the consumption of fuel.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it' being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 represents a side elevation of an apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section thereof taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the reciprocating plunger or clothes pounder; Fig. 4 is a similar view of a canning basket; Fig. 5 is a similar view of a supplemental bottom employed in connection with this apparatus; Fig. 6 is' a detail perspective view of the top of the boiler shown taken from the inside.

In the embodiment illustrated, the 1m- .proved machine constituting this invention is employed in connection with a substantially rectangular heater 1 shown mounted on suitable legs 2 having the usual fire and ash doors 3 and 4. This heater has an opening 5 in its top to receive a boiler 6 which has its bottom 7 shaped to conform to the shape of the opening and to fit therein having ofi'set shoulders 8 in the side walls thereof spaced from said bottom which are designed to rest on the upper face or top of the stove or heater as is shown clearly in extend some distance into the stove to bring it in close proximity'to the heating medium. This boiler 6 may be of any suitable configuration but is here shown rectangular in horizontal section and is provided with a detachable substantially dome shaped top or cover 9. This top 9 has an opening 10 at its summit or apex through which a'plunger to be described is designed to operate. A flange 11 depends from the inner face of the cover at points spaced from its edge and is designed to fit within the upper end of the boiler as shown clearly in Fig. 2 to provide for its Water tight connectiontherewith, the opposite side edges of the top being in vertical alinement with the sidesof the heater when the parts are assembled for a purpose to be described. This top is also provided with a plurality of steam outlet openings 12 any desired number of which may be employed, four being here shown. A supplemental or false bottom 13 is shown in detail in Fig. 5 and is shaped to fit the boiler 6 being preferably composed of crossed slats 14 and 15 and which is designed to prevent the clothes from coming in contact with the bottom proper of the boiler to prevent scorching.

A clothes pounder or plunger 16 is shown in detail in Fig. 3 and in section in Fig. 2 and which is shaped to correspond to the shape of the interior of the boiler, being of less size than said boiler to provide for the passage around it of the wash water. This plunger may be of any suitable construction but is shown composed of longitudinal and transverse slats 17 and 18 respectively which are secured together at intervals and carried by a plunger rod 19 between which and the plunger are mounted braces 20, four being here shown constructed in the form of bars having lateral feet 21 at frame, the arms of which are in the form of standards 23 and 24. These standards are each provided with a lateral shoulder or lug 25 positioned to engage the upper edge of the top keeper 22 to form a stop for limiting the insertion of the standards, said lugs being so positioned that the ends of the standards will pass" through the lower keeper before the stopv 25thereof is engaged with the upper keeper as is clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The arm or standard .24 o-f the inverted U-shaped frame is shorter than the-standard 23 and is provided at its upper end with a laterally extending arm 26 which extends across a the apparatus above the top'of the boiler and isapertured intermediately of its ends as shown M2? for the passagetherethrough of the plunger rod 19. The free end ofthis arm 26 is provided with a laterally eXtending foot 28 which is secured to the standard 23 by riveting or otherwise and formsthe- This arm or cross cross bar of the frame. bar 26 in addition toconnecting and braclng the standards'23 and 24:, forms a guide for 29-and is provided with a bearing31 which alines with abearing 32 formed in the extension 23.

A" crank shaft 33 is rotatably mounted in V thebearings 31and 32 and is provided at-its outer end with a handle 3d having a crank disk 35 secured-to its innerend. A pitman 36 isdetachably-engaged at one'end'with' the crank disk-35 and at-its-otherend is detachably-connectedwith the upper end-of the plunger-r0d -19-by which the plunger16 is reciprocated vertically on the turning of the crank shaft. 7 r

The crankdisk 35 is provided with a plurality of openings 37 spaced varying idistances from the center of the disk and which are designed to receive a wrist pin 38which connects the pitman with the disk toprovide for the varying ofthestroke ofthe plunger when desired, it being obvious that the far ther awayfrom the center of-the disk the wrist pin is mounted," the greater'will bethe extent of the stroke of the plunger. 7

The-standard 23 ispreferably-braced by bars 39' which are connected-atone endto said standard and diverge therefrom and are connected at their other ends'to the sideof the heater 1. r I

"In the operation of this machine, the 'false bottomlais first placed in the boiler 6 and theboilerhav-i-ngfirst been filled or it may be filled. afterward with; the washing water is placed in theyopening 5. of the heater. The plunger 16 is then disposed in the boiler and the top 9 placed thereover with the rod 19 of said plungerpassing through the opening 10 in. the top of the boiler. The supporting "means for the operating'apparatus of the boiler is then placed in position bypassing the plungeri'rod 19 through the opening 27 in the cross arm or bar 26 and connecting it with pitman 36 andthen inserting the free ends of the arms 23 and 24 in the keepers 22 on opposite sides of the heater. The device is then ready for operation and the plunger is reciprocated by turning the crank shaft 33 in the manner described. From the above description it will be obvious thatthe inverted U-shaped frame in addition to forming a support forv the plunger operating mechanism, also operates'asa retaining device'for preventing the boiler 6 from tipping or being moved sidewise,'the sidewalls of the boiler being positioned in close proximity tothe standards 23 and 24:, which latter, when the parts are assembled, are disposed at points midway the length ofthe boiler, and theopposed side edges of theboiler top are shown engaging said standards.

In Fig. 4% a canning basket-4:0 is shown which is preferably rectangular in form to adapt it to conform. withthe' shape of the boiler in connection withwhich it is used andwhichis provided in its bottom with apertures 41 to permit the water in' the-boiler to pass readily therethrough to surround the cans not; shown which are designed to be placed within this'basket. Bail-shaped handles 12 and43 are securedtoopposite ends ofthe basket for lifting it into and out of the boiler. These handles are preferably providedwith alinedaeyes lt to receive a lifter not-"shown. When it is desired to use this machine-for canning purposes, the plunger 16 is removed and the basket 40 substituted, it-beingof course understood that the cans to be heated have first been placed within the basket. The top 9 is then placed on the boiler and thecanningoperati'on proceeds. p 7

.From the-above description, itwill be obviousthat this improved apparatus may be readily converted from a washing machine intoa canning machin'e andvice versa and will operate equally Well for either purpose.

I claim: I

Ingan apparatus of the class described, a substantially rectangular supporthaving a boiler receiving opening in its; top, and sockets-on its opposite sides, a boiler positioned on said; support over said opening with its sidewalls in aplane parallel with and adjacentthe plane of; the side walls of the support, a top on said boiler having acentral aperture, a plunger in-said boiler having a rod extending through the aperture in said top, a combined boiler retaining device-and plunger operating mechanism support comprising a substantially inverted U-shaped frame having its ends engaged shaft mounted in said bearings, and a pitwith said sockets and its arms engaging the man connected with said crank shaft and deopposed side edges of said boiler top, the tachably engaged with said plunger rod. 15 cross bar of said frame extending trans- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 5 versely across the boiler above the top theremy hand in the presence of two subscribing of and having an aperture alined with the witnesses. aperture in said boiler top and through his 1 which the plunger rod is adapted to extend, JOHN SCOTT X WILLIAMS an upwardly projecting vertical extension mark 10 on one arm of said frame provided with a Witnesses:

lateral arm having a depending finger, alined J. W. MAYNARD, bearings in said extension and finger, a crank A. O. GRIGSBY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

